Treatment of wood, wood fiber products, and porous surfaces with periodic acid and iodic acid

ABSTRACT

Treatment of wood, wood fiber products, and porous surfaces with periodic acid and iodic acid.  
     The popular method for the public to treat wood, wood fiber products and porous surfaces from insect attack and spore growth is by paints and water repellent coatings. “The state of the art” commercial process to preserve wood, wood fiber products, and porous surfaces, is vat dip, pressure treatment and pressure/vacuum extraction procedures using poisons and toxic heavy metal salts. My invention provides a valuable alternative to present day treatment.  
     As with all living organisms, insects and spores select specific materials to eat, and special surfaces to live and grow. My invention is based on the premise, that all matter on this earth exhibits identity characteristics, a unique code. All living organisms go through their cycle of life constantly decoding the identity of matter. Organisms are attracted to specific matter either positively or negatively or are not attracted to the matter at all.  
     By replacing the material identity code of a surface to the identity of iodine produces a surface that is of no interest to any insect or spore. My invention provides a safe deception to destructive organisms. My invention provides a treatment to wood, wood fiber products, and porous surface, which replaces the “state of the art” use of pesticides and toxic salts.  
     As states are placing restrictions on the use of toxic salts in the treatment of wood and wood fiber products used in construction, this invention may change the “state of the art” in construction material preservation.

STATEMENT OF FEDERAL SPONSORED RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

[0001] Treatment of wood, wood fiber products, and porous surfaces with periodic acid and iodic acid.

[0002]FUNGAL AND TERMITE RESISTANCE OF WOOD REACTED WITH PERIODIC ACID OR SODIUM PERIODATE, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service Products Laboratory, Madison, Wis. 53705-2398.

[0003] Report date—April 1988

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED CLAIMS

[0004] Treatment of wood, wood fiber products, and porous surfaces with periodic acid and iodic acid.

[0005] No documentation has been found to give evidence that this configuration of chemicals has been claimed for patent for the treatment of wood, wood fiber products, and porous surfaces as claimed in this application.

[0006] References to related claims:

[0007] U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,775,047 Nov., 1973 Weston 8/37 3,985,921 Oct., 1976 Rowell et a 427/3171 4,329,383 May., 1982 Joh 428/36 4,780,341 Oct., 1988 Chow 427/440 4,804,384 Feb., 1998 Rowell et al 8/181 5,470,614 Nov., 1995 Chem et al 427/440

[0008] Computer search for patent

[0009] A search for a treatment of wood using periodic acid HIO₄*2H₂O With “no results”.

[0010] A search for a treatment of wood using iodic acid HIO₃ with “no results”.

[0011] A search for a treatment of lignocellulosic materials using periodic acid HIO₄*2H₂O with “no results”.

[0012] A search for a treatment of lignocellulosic materials using iodic acid HIO₃ with “no results”.

[0013] A search for a treatment of porous surfaces using periodic acid HIO₄*2H₂O with “no results”.

[0014] A search for a treatment of porous surfaces using iodic acid HIO₃ with “no results”.

[0015] A search for a treatment of wood fiber products using periodic acid HIO₄*2H₂O with “no results”.

[0016] A search for a treatment of wood fiber products using iodic acid HIO₃ with “no results”.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0017] The preservation of wood, wood fiber products and materials with porous surfaces against destruction caused by living organisms such as mold, mildew, fungus, termites, and other insects has been sought since the beginning of civilized time. Coatings, such as paint, are used to shield out the invasion of the organisms. With a “breakdown” of the coating, the organisms can enter and violate the surfaces.

[0018] Solvent based penetrates have been effective in preserving wood, wood fiber products, and porous surface materials. The solvent based penetrates are environmentally unsafe due to the carrier solvent contamination and the toxic ingredients. As environmental awareness increased, the technology to treat wood, wood fiber products, and porous materials changed to water-soluble salt mixtures.

[0019] Aqueous salt compounds took over the preservative market in the treatment of wood and wood fiber products. Environmental studies in the past few years have proven that the present method of treatment with salts of heavy metals is leaching into the ground and water. As treated wood, wood fiber products and porous surfaces are wet with rain and other water sources; salts are solubilized and leach to the surrounding environment. As the environment is contaminated, the treated surface is less protected to organism attack. The contamination of the environment is too widespread and of great risk. The potential for directly poisoning humans and animal life is serious.

[0020] Coating the wood, wood fiber products and porous surfaces with paints, coatings, and repellents to shield the surface from moisture and organism attack is one type of acceptable treatment. The use of solvent and aqueous penetrating treatments use toxic substances to destroy any organism that attacks the treated surface. My invention offers a unique third method of treatment for the preservation of wood, wood fiber products, and porous surfaces. My invention changes the code of the surface. The treated surface is no longer recognized as a food source or habitat of living organisms. The treated surface is “passed” over.

[0021] My invention provides biological and environmental safety in its' use. This invention provides permanent treatment with resistance to leaching. My invention contains no pesticides, heavy metals, or toxic substances. This invention will efficiently treat wood, wood fiber products and porous surfaces by deception and camouflage. My invention replaces treatment by insecticidal and sporocidal salts.

[0022] This invention does not require any special application equipment. For general use my invention can be applied by brushing, wiping, spraying or dipping. As long as all surface areas are treated, the protection against organism attack is complete. For commercial use such as the case of wood and wood fiber products for construction materials, the invention can be applied by the pressure and pressure-vacuum extraction equipment, commonly used by the wood preservative industry today.

[0023] This invention provides a practical, economical, and sensible method of treating surfaces from damage caused by living organisms. My invention of a treatment for wood, wood fiber products, and porous surfaces has the potential to change the way construction materials are treated. This invention is a new practical concept offering a different approach to treating wood, wood fiber products, and porous surfaces

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0024] Treatment of wood, wood fiber products and porous surfaces with periodic acid and iodic acid.

[0025] Insects and spores of mold, mildew, and fungus destroy billions of dollars of wood, wood fiber products, and materials with porous surfaces each year. The common method used by industry is treatment with water-soluble salts, which are solubilizing with moisture and leach toxins into our environment.

[0026] This invention provides a practical approach to treat wood, wood fiber products, and porous surfaces against the attack of living organisms, such as insects, mold, mildew, and fungus. Insects ingest wood and use wood, wood fiber products, and porous surfaces as protective habitat. Spores from mold, mildew, and fungus use the moist environment of wood, wood fiber surfaces, and porous surfaces as fertile grounds for spore growth. Whether by ingestion or habitat, the destruction by these organisms manifest the same costly result. The premise of this invention is based on the question, “What attracts the organism to the surfaces as a source of food or a place of habitat?” Termites are attracted to wood and products made of wood fiber. Spores find excellent growth habitat in porous surfaces such as masonry mediums, textile fabrics, and porous coatings such as latex. These destructive organisms are attracted to these surfaces.

[0027] My invention is based upon the premise that nature has assigned character codes to all matter. All living organisms within our world are constantly decoding the codes of nature. Termites eat wood. Termites do not eat carbon. Mold, mildew and fungus grow on wood and porous surfaces. Spores do not grow on gold. Humans eat potato chips. Humans do not eat plastic. This is the basic principle of code and decodes, which founded this invention. My invention creates a new code for the treated surface.

[0028] My invention of a treatment of wood, wood fiber products, and porous surfaces with periodic acid and iodic acid provides a safe, reasonable and economical method to deliver a solubilized element as a treatment of wood, wood fiber products, and porous surfaces. The periodic acid or iodic acid reacts to the surface chemistry and/or the environment to precipitate an elemental iodine matrix in the surface structure. The living organism will not recognize the treated surface as food or habitat. The insect or spore will have no interest in the surface medium.

[0029] Since the periodic acid and iodic acid are aqueous solutions that are unstable with most all other chemistry, light and heat, the solution will always react and form elemental iodine. As the periodic acid and iodic acid break down in reaction, the hard insoluble iodine solidifies to conform to the surface structure in matrix, therefore giving the surface the character code of iodine.

[0030] Once the treatment obtains the state of the element iodine, the matrix is insoluble and as an element cannot be reacted any further. The matrix is set with no potential to leach by moisture. Any energy used to solubilize the matrix would destroy the medium treated. The treated wood, wood fiber product and porous surfaces are laced with an iodine matrix, which cannot leach. This matrix of insoluble iodine also provides moisture control of the surface structure. The porous surface will not take on moisture in the presence of the iodine element. The control of moisture provides a secondary means of organism protection as well as controlling the destruction of the surfaces by mechanical freeze/thaw cycles. The treatment of wood, wood fiber products, and porous surfaces preserves the surface from moisture damage.

[0031] This invention provides protection of the surfaces without harm to the environment, without leaching, and without the use of pesticides or heavy metal salts. The treatment is permanent.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION

[0032] Treatment of wood, wood fiber products, and porous surfaces with periodic acid and iodic acid.

[0033] The invention of a treatment of wood, wood fiber product, and porous surfaces with an aqueous solution containing periodic acid (HIO₄*2H₂O) or an aqueous solution containing iodic acid (HIO₃) will protect the surface from the destruction caused by insects and spores. This invention provides a safe aqueous treatment of wood, wood fiber products, and porous surfaces. Once applied to the surfaces, the invention quickly reacts to the chemistry of the surface and surface environment to form a matrix of a solid insoluble element within the surface structure. The element is permanently fixed within the matrix of the treated surface structure and cannot be removed by natural means.

[0034] This invention uses periodic acid (HIO₄*2H₂O) and iodic acid (HIO₃) as the active ingredients due to their instability to other chemicals. Aqueous solutions containing periodic acid and iodic acid break down in reaction to other chemistry, sunlight, heat, and air. The reaction of the solution of periodic acid or the solution of the iodic acid renders elemental iodine. The iodine forms a matrix within the surface providing the results of the treatment.

[0035] Iodine is a nonmetallic halogen element with an atomic number 53, group VII A of the periodic table. Iodine is the least reactive of the halogens. Iodine is not soluble in water in its elemental form. Once the invention reacts to form the iodine matrix, the matrix has no further reaction potential. The treatment is setup permanently in the surface structure.

[0036] Iodine is insoluble in water. The iodine matrix is stable against leaching due to rain or water rinse.

[0037] In elemental form, iodine is a dense needle like crystal plate with a metallic like luster. The formation of the iodine halogen element is important. As the reaction of the invention produces iodine, the dense plate formation conforms to the surface structure as a hard, non-porous, insoluble, and “fixed” matrix. As an added feature, the iodine matrix will not allow water absorption and provides excellent moisture control of the treated surface.

[0038] The invention of a treatment of wood, wood fiber products, and porous surfaces with periodic and iodine acid provides a unique, reasonable and economical approach to protecting surfaces from attack by insects and spore growth.

[0039] Apply the periodic acid solution or iodic acid solution to the surface. The water will evaporate leaving a periodic acid (HIO₄*2H₂O) or an iodic acid (HIO₃) concentrate. The periodic acid or iodic acid will react to the diol chemistry of the lignin polymers of wood, In other surfaces, the invention will react to other chemistry, and natural atmospheric contaminates heat or light. The results of the reaction are a complex formed with cell walls of wood fiber, which creates a matrix of elemental iodine. Within the porous surfaces of other materials, the water evaporates from the periodic acid solution or the iodic acid solution. The periodic acid or iodic acid reacts with the environment to deposit a matrix of elemental iodine within the surface structure. The characteristics of iodine are now established within the treated surface. Insects and spores are not attracted to the “iodine” surface.

[0040] All living organisms are given the ability to recognize codes of a matter. All organisms are decoding every moment of their life. From microscopic spores, insects, animals to humans, all living creatures submit to nature's code system of matter. For example: Humans do not have a desire to eat gold, carbon glass, plastic, or asphalt. This is not due to a taught behavior, but is with us from birth. We have never had a desire to ingest these materials. Termites live in wood and ingest wood fiber as food. Termites have absolutely no desire to ingest iodine. Spores of mold, mildew, and fungus seek shelter and moisture as a habitat for growth. These spores grow on the surface of rock, wood, latex paint, and concrete. Spores have no desire to establish growth on elemented iodine.

[0041] A surface treated with an aqueous solution of periodic acid or an aqueous solution of iodic acid will lose its' natural code to the new iodine matrix. The treated surface will appear to be iodine and will not have any appeal to the destructive organism.

[0042] Once the elemental state of iodine is established there is no further reactivity possible. The treatment is established without any potential for degradation. Surface preservation has been accomplished. The surface code has been changed to the character of non-desirable dense crystal matrix having no moisture.

[0043] The invention of a treatment for wood, wood fiber products and porous surfaces for the protection against damage by living organisms such as insects and spores utilizes an aqueous solution of 0.5% to 50% active periodic acid (HIO₄*2H₂O) or an aqueous solution containing 0.5% to 50% active iodic acid (HIO₃). The aqueous solution is wiped, brushed, poured or sprayed onto the wood, wood fiber materials, or porous surface. The surface should be allowed to dry 24 hours allowing the chemical reaction to occur forming the elemental iodine code.

[0044] For treatment of commercial wood and wood fiber materials such as that used in construction industry, the periodic acid solution or iodic acid solution can be applied to the wood by vat dip, pressure treatment and pressure/vacuum extraction equipment. As the water evaporates the periodic acid or iodic acid reacts to the diols within the lignin polymers. The reaction produces the iodine matrix.

[0045] Iodine has no natural predators. The treated surface is of no interest to organisms such as insects and spores. 

1. An aqueous solution comprising of: (a) 0.5% to 50% periodic acid (HIO₄*2H₂O) (b) 50% to 99.5% water
 2. An aqueous solution in accordance with claim 1, where the solution may contain a 0.1% to 10% addition of a fluorinated surfactant with a perfluorinated chain for solution stability and increased surface activity.
 3. An aqueous solution in accordance with claim 1 wherein the solution may contain a 0.1% to 5% addition of a 30 mole ethoxylated nonylphenol to improve solution stability and provide an emulsifying character.
 4. An aqueous solution in accordance with claim 1, where in the solution is poured, brushed, wiped or sprayed onto wood, wood fiber surfaces, and porous surfaces to protect the surface from destruction by living organisms, such as insects and spores of mold, mildew, and fungus.
 5. An aqueous solution in accordance with claim 1, where in the solution is applied to the surface of wood, wood fiber product, and porous surfaces by means of vat dip, pressure, or pressure/vacuum extraction procedures.
 6. An aqueous solution in accordance with claim 1, wherein the solution reacts with the treated surface to form an iodine matrix, which will not leach out of the surface.
 7. An aqueous solution in accordance with claim 1, wherein the solution provides a matrix of iodine, which causes the treated surface to exhibit the identity code of the element iodine.
 8. An aqueous solution in accordance with claim 1, wherein the solution will be used for commercial and public use for the treatment of wood, wood fiber products, and porous surfaces to protect the surface from damage caused by insects and spores.
 9. An aqueous solution in accordance with claim 1, wherein the solution will form an iodine matrix by means of reaction and prevent moisture absorption in the surface structure.
 10. An aqueous solution in accordance with claim 1 where in the aqueous solution is degradable to the elemental form of iodine and is environmentally and biologically safe. I claim the alternative to claim
 1. 11. An aqueous solution comprising of: (a) 0.5% to 50% iodic acid (HIO₃) (b) 50% to 99.5% water
 12. An aqueous solution in accordance with claim 11, wherein the solution may contain 0.1% to 10% addition of a fluorinated surfactant with a perfluorinated chain providing solution stability and increased surface activity.
 13. An aqueous solution in accordance with claim 11, wherein the solution may contain an addition of a 30-mole ethoxylated nonylphenol to improve solution stability and provide emulsification set up.
 14. An aqueous solution in accordance with claim 11 wherein the solution is poured, brushed, wiped or sprayed onto wood, wood fiber products and porous surfaces to protect the surface from destruction by living organisms such as insects and spores of mold, mildew, and fungus.
 15. An aqueous solution in accordance with claim 11, wherein the solution is applied to the surface of wood, wood fiber products, and porous surfaces by means of vat dip, pressure, or pressure/vacuum extraction procedures.
 16. An aqueous solution in accordance with claim 11, wherein the solution reacts with the treated surface to form an iodine matrix, which will not leach out of the surface.
 17. An aqueous solution in accordance with claim 11, wherein the solution provides a matrix of iodine, which causes the treated surface to exhibit the identity code of the element iodine.
 18. An aqueous solution in accordance with claim 11, wherein the solution will be used for commercial an public use for the treatment of wood, wood fiber products, and porous surfaces to protect the surface from damage caused by insects and spores.
 19. An aqueous solution in accordance with claim 11, wherein the solution will form an iodine matrix by means of reaction and prevent absorption of moisture in the surface structure.
 20. An aqueous solution in accordance with claim 11, wherein the aqueous solution is degradable to the elemental state of iodine and is environmentally and biologically safe. 